Evaluation of cellular glasses for solar mirror panel applications

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An analytic technique is developed to compare the structural and environmental performance of various materials considered for backing of second surface glass solar mirrors. Metals, ceramics, dense molded plastics, foamed plastics, forest products and plastic laminates are surveyed. Cellular glass is determined to be a prime candidate due to its low cost, high stiffness-to-weight ratio, thermal expansion match to mirror glass, evident minimal environmental impact and chemical and dimensional stability under conditions of use. While applications could employ this material as a foam core or compressive member of a composite material system, the present analysis addresses the bulk material only, ...
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Description

An analytic technique is developed to compare the structural and environmental performance of various materials considered for backing of second surface glass solar mirrors. Metals, ceramics, dense molded plastics, foamed plastics, forest products and plastic laminates are surveyed. Cellular glass is determined to be a prime candidate due to its low cost, high stiffness-to-weight ratio, thermal expansion match to mirror glass, evident minimal environmental impact and chemical and dimensional stability under conditions of use. While applications could employ this material as a foam core or compressive member of a composite material system, the present analysis addresses the bulk material only, allowing a basis for simple extrapolations. The current state of the art and anticipated developments in cellular glass technology are discussed. Material properties are correlated to design requirements using a Weibull weakest link statistical method appropriate for describing the behavior of such brittle materials. A mathematical model is presented which suggests a design approach which allows minimization of life cycle cost; given adequate information for a specific aplication, this would permit high confidence estimates of the cost/performance factor. A mechanical and environmental testing program is outlined, designed to providea material property basis for development of cellular glass hardware, together with methodology for collecting lifetime predictive data required by the mathematical treatment provided herein. Preliminary material property data from measurements is given.

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